Aquatic invasive species are becoming an increasing problem for Unites States Fish and Wildlife services and state Natural Resource Departments to control. Aquatic invasive species are aquatic organisms that invade ecosystems to the point where natural habitat is damaged beyond recovery. These aquatic organisms are not native to the lakes, rivers, and streams they reside in and can spread from one body of water to another by boat, pontoon, or personal watercraft trailers.
According to each states Natural Resource webpage, 20 of the lower 48 states have laws related to the removal of aquatic invasive species from boat, pontoon, personal watercrafts and their trailers. Many private lake associations have boat and trailer checks both in and out of landings in efforts to ensure that invasive species are not being transported into their lake.
Currently there are no methods that incorporate tools on the market designed for removing weeds, milfoil, invasive species or any other undesirable aquatic vegetation from a boat, pontoon, or personal watercraft trailer and the like. Boat, pontoon, and personal watercraft users may resort to using oars, nets, fishing rods, or other available things to remove weeds and invasive species from their trailers, but these are not designed for this function and the user eventually has to remove the remaining weeds from the trailer by hand. Often times this requires the user to crawl on the ground underneath the trailer to remove all weeds. The distance between the ground and trailer is roughly 18 inches making it difficult to crawl underneath. At boat landings the ground is often gravel or dirty pavement and wet from the water dripping off the trailer and/or watercraft. These factors make crawling on the ground underneath the trailer to remove weeds undesirable; therefore, this step is often skipped by users.
This invention creates a method incorporating a tool that is designed to make the removal of weeds, milfoil, invasive species, or any other undesirable material from boat, pontoon, personal watercraft trailers, and the like significantly easier for the user. Inventing an easier method for users to remove these aquatic hitchhikers will aid in the effort to slow the spread of aquatic invasive species and help maintain our natural resources for years to come. This will also help users be compliant with the laws currently established for cleaning aquatic invasive species off watercrafts, trailers, and the like.